NEW ORLEANS—For much of this season, Ravens left tackle Bryant McKinnie was in John Harbaugh’s doghouse. Nagged by injuries and not in the best of shape, McKinnie was on the bench and the Ravens’ offensive line was inconsistent.

How did McKinnie win back Harbaugh’s trust to become a pivotal player in the team’s playoff run to Super Bowl XLVII? It wasn’t easy.

When Michael Oher and the Ravens give Joe Flacco time to throw, the QB is great at unleashing the deep ball. (AP Photo)

Things came to a head late in the season, when McKinnie told Sporting News he met with Harbaugh to clear the air.

“I was like, ‘I’m healthy now. What are you waiting for?’ ” McKinnie said Thursday. “He was like, ‘I want you to lead the offensive line.’ (To which I replied) 'How can I lead if I’m sitting on the bench?'

“In fairness, I had a hip flexor earlier in the year. He put me in the Houston game (Week 7), and that was my chance, but I re-injured it and it took about a month to heal. At that point, he asked me to show him in practice that I was healthy again. But by that time, practices had been scaled down, most of what we were doing was walking through, and I couldn’t really show him anything. It was tough.”

Finally, with the Ravens having clinched a playoff spot, Harbaugh gave McKinnie one last chance, using the Week 17 game against the Bengals as an audition to see if McKinnie was ready.

“I showed him what I could do all right,” McKinnie said, laughing. “Next thing I know, we’re changing the starting lineup.”

After left guard Jah Reid suffered a season-ending toe injury in Week 17, Harbaugh reshuffled the offensive line, and the Ravens instantly became a better team. Michael Oher moved from left tackle to right tackle. Kelechi Osemele moved from right guard to left guard. And McKinnie took over at left tackle.

It was a huge gamble by Harbaugh heading into playoffs, to switch three-fifths of the offensive line. However, it has paid huge dividends. Flacco has been sacked only four times on 99 dropbacks in the playoffs. McKinnie—a massive left tackle (6-8, 360) who has shown the mobility to handle premier edge rushers like Dwight Freeney and Elvis Dumervil in the playoffs—has allowed just one of those sacks. He has provided Joe Flacco with secret service-like protection during the playoffs.

McKinnie accepted Harbaugh’s challenge, and the Ravens have reaped the rewards.

“Things worked out—that’s how I look at it,” McKinnie said. “I came in late in the season, and I don’t have wear and tear on me like I would’ve had I been playing all season.”

Facing the 49ers’ pass-rushing duo of Aldon Smith and Justin Smith may be McKinnie’s biggest challenge of the playoffs. McKinnie and Osemele have spent much of this week studying film together of “The Smith Brothers,” as McKinnie calls Aldon and Justin.

“Me and K.O. (Osemele) have to neutralize those two if we’re going to have success on offense,” McKinnie said. “The Smith have had two years together. Me and K.O. have only had three games together. And the Smiths work together really well. Justin is the power coming from the inside. Aldon is the finesse and speed coming from the outside. They use each other to make plays.

“It’s the Super Bowl. They’re coming with their A-game. We have to come with ours.”

Now that McKinnie has earned his way back, Harbaugh has not hesitated to point out McKinnie's contribution.

“I think the timing has been perfect,” Harbaugh said. “We’re just so proud of that. Him and K.O. on that side will have their hands full, but we believe they are up to the challenge.”

If Flacco gets time, he can make deep throws as well as anybody. That much has been proved. The Ravens have been a better offensive team with McKinnie on offense—better in pass protection, better in run blocking. Ray Rice has been given the luxury to become more patient with his runs, confident that a crease will develop for him to scamper through.

“I haven’t been forcing anything,” Rice said. “I’ve always said that as long as I don’t force the issue, something good will happen. We have our best five linemen out there doing a great job. With all that focus on the run game, we pass the ball really well, too.’’

The decision to start McKinnie was a catalyst to jump-starting the Ravens’ playoff run. McKinnie knows what it’s like to be in the doghouse. Being in the Super Bowl is far more enjoyable.